I’ve been working as a personal trainer since 2013, and in that time I’ve been fortunate enough to work with a lot of really great people. The great thing about being a trainer is that everyone is unique. Age, fitness level, and physical limitations all impact the type of training programs I develop, but the single biggest, and most diverse factor, is the objective of the client. Some want weight loss, some are after strength, and others want to get better at their favorite sport. Over the years I’ve tried to guide my clients down a steady path of progress toward their goals following three main principles, and today I want to take the time to explain these so that you too may walk to road of success.
What exactly do you want to do?
I’ve found that one thing that can really help with achieving a fitness goal is to be quite specific when setting it. This may seem obvious, but it is a very important first step, as we can only measure our success if we first define what success is. I often hear “I want to lose weight”, which is a fine goal, but how much? By when? Answering these questions really help frame our exercise and put each day into context. Rather than saying “I want to lose weight”, putting it this way would be better:
“I want to lose 5 pounds by the end of next month.”
(more…)
According to some recent studies, the increase in urbanization and lack of green spaces has a direct correlation to an increase in mental illness. Research shows that recreating in nature improves mental health by relieving anxiety and the occurrence of negative thoughts, which can result in a lower risk of depression (“First in Science: Outdoor Recreation Improves Mental Health – National Caucus of Environmental Legislators (NCEL)”, 2018). Natural light increases your serotonin, which is one of your body’s feel-good chemicals, contributing to an overall sense of well-being. Sunlight also provides us with vitamin D, promoting calcium absorption, reducing inflammation, and increasing immune function.
Physical activity in the outdoors can be exhilarating and offer challenges that give one a real sense of accomplishment, improving self-esteem, as well as encouraging growth. Being outdoors can even be therapeutic and has helped many who have suffered from severe trauma.
Fortunately, the High Country offers plenty of land dedicated to outdoor recreation. With mild temperatures in the spring and summer, those from off the mountain have been flocking to this area to escape the heat for decades. The climate provides a comfortable environment for participating in all sorts of outdoor activities, including mountain biking, water sports, hiking, backpacking, horseback riding, fishing, cycling, climbing, and bouldering. If you are new to any of these activities, you will usually find the outdoor community is welcoming and more than happy to offer some assistance. For more information about getting involved or finding the right gear for your new outdoor endeavor, visit http://www.exploreboone.com/outdoors/
Resources
First in Science: Outdoor Recreation Improves Mental Health – National Caucus of Environmental Legislators (NCEL). (2018, September 18). Retrieved May 10, 2019, from https://www.ncel.net/2018/07/09/first-in-science-outdoor-recreation-improves-mental-health/
By: Michael Darling
When most people think about fat loss, they usually think cardiovascular exercise is the only means of burning calories and losing weight. Resistance training is a great way to lose weight as well. Combining the two can be the most powerful way for fat loss success.
Advantages of Resistance Training for Fat Loss
Strength training helps your body build muscle. Having a higher muscle percentage in the body raises your resting metabolic rate. This requires your body to expend more energy throughout the day to keep your bodily systems flowing. This increases the number of calories burned per day. An important part of resistance training is helping maintain the muscle you already have. When you lose weight, you lose a combination of fat and muscle. Resistance training helps to maintain the muscle already there while burning off the excess fat.
Advantages of Cardio for Fat loss
Cardio has an advantage of allowing you to exercise at a moderate intensity for a much longer time period when compared to resistance training. This allows you to maintain exercise longer in order to burn more calories and in return, allows you to burn off fat more quickly. Cardio can also be done more frequent when compared to resistance training due to recovery time. Cardio allows you to vary the intensity more easily in order to boost your calorie burn.
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is considered one of the best cardiovascular exercises. It involves burst of strenuous exercise followed by a rest/much lower intensity period. Resistance exercises can also be added into this type of training. This training increases your excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). Consuming extra oxygen in a longer recovery phase from training allows for a greater increase in energy expenditure. This will cause you to lose fat more quickly. The important thing is finding what works best for you and sticking with it. Don’t stick with cardio because you’re scared of the weight room. Sign up with one of our trainers to get a well balanced exercise program designed just for you. You’ll see fat loss in no time!
On Mondays & Thursdays at 8:15 the Wellness Center offers a kickboxing class that is unlike a traditional kickboxing class. If you attend with the intent of a Tae Bo style class, you are mistaken. This class focuses on fitness first, defense second and great community third.
Each class is different focusing on different skills, partner work, and more. However, it’s not for the faint of heart. You’ll be tested physically and mentally though the 45 minute class, but the experience you receive is like none other.
Modeled after traditional Muay Thai (Thai boxing) training, with each striking part of the body utilized. The arms, legs, knees, and elbows are all moving during class to receive a workout unrivaled by any other. Additionally, pairing with a partner allows for your mind to become a tool to be honed and improved upon.
No class is identical. Each experience is unique. The skills you gain are not only for fitness, but for having the ability to defend yourself also. You come in not knowing what you are capable of, and leave feeling empowered.
Join the community of fighters who see an improvement in their lives both physically and mentally. Join us on Mondays & Thursdays at 8:15.
By, Martin Hubner MS, Pn1
Fit Academy is a summer day camp for young people aged 7 to 12. Campers will experience daily group exercise, games, nutrition education, cooking lessons, and extraordinary fun! Fit Academy promotes healthier lifestyles for ALL children. The camp is open to Wellness Center members and non-members, and will operate in one-week sessions from June 17 through August 9.
Registration will begin on Monday March 25. Register by dropping by the Wellness Center or by contacting Heather Casey (828) 266-1066.
Spring Fit Academy makes healthy smoothies
- Who: Young people aged 7 to 12, members or non-members
- Where: Paul H. Broyhill Wellness Center
- When: June 17 – August 9, week-long sessions
- Camp Hours: Arrive between 7:30am and 8:00am, pick up at 4:00pm daily
- Fee: $120 per week (limited scholarships available)
- Activities include: Hiking, gardening, swimming, nutrition classes, cooking classes, daily group games and activities, fitness classes, bowling and so much more.
- Registration: Parents can choose to register their child for the entire 8 weeks of camp, or pick and choose weeks for the summer.
